Improvement in egg-carriers



2 Sheets--Sheet1. .I. L. STEVENS.

Egg-Carrier. 7 N0. 163,274, Patented May11,l875.

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THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTO -LITH.39 8:41 PARK PLAGEJLY.

JOHN L. STEVENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN EGG-CARRlERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

163,274, dated May 11, 1875; application filed September 25,1873.

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN L. STEVENS, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Egg-Carriers; of which improvements the following is a full, clear,and exact description, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, and in which-Figure l is a side elevation of a series of egg-receiving compartmentsembodying myinvention; Fig. 2, a like representation of a series ofsheets or cards employed in the construction of the compartments Fig. 3,a like representation of one of another series of sheets, also employedfor the same purpose; and Fig. 4 a side elevation of the parts shown inFig. 1 when the same are inverted and are provided with locking-strips.Fig. 5, Sheet 2, represents the trays arranged in a shipping case orcarrier.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention relates to that class of eggcarriers which are divided intocompartments to receive the eggs and separate them from each other, andwherein the sides of each compartment consist of sheets which intersecteach other.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for the purposeof forming a bottom to the compartments; and, to that end, it consistsin making one series of the sheets sufficiently'broad to admit of theirbeing folded horizontally across the compartments, substantially ashereinafter described.

In the drawing, A represents a sheet or card of straw-board or of othermaterial suitable for the purpose herein set forth. This sheet isalittle greaterin breadth than the longer diameter of a hens egg, andmay be of any convenient length. It is also out along one of itslongitudinal edges, as shown at aia, each cut extending about half-wayacross the sheet, and the space between each out being about equal tothe shorter diameter of an egg. B is also a sheet of the same, or of asimilar material to that of which the sheet A is made,

and a a are cut-s sunken into one of the longitudinal edges. The cuts aand a should be of about the same-depth, and about the same distanceapart. The sheet B exceeds the sheet A in breadth by about the distancefrom one cut a or a to the other, and is scored longitudinally along oneside in a line which divides it into two parts, oneof which is equal inbreadth to the part A, and the remaining part B will then be of abreadth equal to the space between the cuts a or a, the latter being inthe broadest part, as shown. The egg-receiving compartments areconstructed by so arrangin g a series of sheets, A and B, together thateachseries will intersect the other at right angles, and so that thecuts a will mesh into the cuts a. The parts B are then foldedhorizontally, as shown in Fig. 1.

A series of trays thus constructed may be arranged one above the otherin a suitable shipping-case, and the eggs will then be separate fromeach other, and supported in separate layers. The trays, when removedfrom the case, or when shipped separately from it to be used by shippersfor the purposes herein set forth, may be compactly folded.

When the eggs are unpacked I deem it preferable, but not essential, toremove that part of the case which constituted its bottom while the eggswere being packed. The trays will then be presented in the positionshown in Fig. 4, and may be removed one by one, leaving each layer ofeggs on the tray next below. By this means the eggs may be more readilyremoved than if they were picked from each compartment, and there isless danger of breaking the eggs than by attempting to draw the traysfrom them while the trays occupy the position shown in Fig. 1.

Instead of providing every sheet B with a part, B, each alternate sheetB may be made to fold in the manner described, each folded partextending to, or nearly to, the other.

e e are cuts in the ends of the parts B B and G is a strip ofstraw-board or other suitable material, one of which is woven througheach set of cuts e 6 when the parts B B are folded; but neither the cuts6 6 nor the strips 0 O are essential, except for the purpose ofretaining the parts B B in their folded position in order that the traysmay be removed, together with their contents, and so that the eggs maybe delivered therein to consumers desiring a comparatively smallquantity.

I am aware that folding compartments have heretofore been employed inconnection with detached separating sheets or diaphragms and ashipping-ease for the purpose herein set forth, and I do not here claimsuch; but

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

An egg-carrier provided with removablyfolding trays divided into foldingegg-receiv.

ing compartments, the trays and their compartments consisting of theseries of sheets A A, having the notches a a sunken into one of theirlongitudinal edges, and of the series of sheets B B, having the notchesa a sunken into one of their longitudinal edges, and also having thefolding extensions B B projecting therefrom, each of said series beingarranged together, substantially as shown and described. 7

JOHN L. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

N. C.GRIDLEY, F. F. WARNER.

